The present invention relates to apparatus and methods for damping surges, for example, velocity surges and/or pressure surges and/or concentration surges, of gaseous component, for example, volatile organic compounds (VOC), to a system for destroying gaseous component, for example, a thermal oxidizer. In particular, the present invention relates to apparatus and methods for damping surges of gaseous component to facilitate the operation of a system in which the gaseous component is destroyed, and preferably is made more environmentally acceptable.
A large body of technology has been developed directed to systems for reducing emissions of gaseous components, such as VOC, to the atmosphere. In many of these systems, the gaseous component is destroyed and/or rendered more environmentally acceptable. For example, the gaseous component is placed in a thermal oxidizer with oxygen at a sufficiently high temperature to facilitate the combustion of the gaseous component, for example, to carbon dioxide and water. At steady state operation, in which the amount of gaseous component to be destroyed is maintained substantially constant, such destruction systems are very effective and efficient in greatly reducing atmospheric emissions of gaseous component, e.g., VOC.
However, the processes which produce such gaseous components which are to be destroyed may inadvertently, or even purposefully or intentionally, provide surges, for example, velocity surges and/or pressure surges and/or concentration surges, of the gaseous component to be destroyed. Such surges can have a detrimental effect on the gaseous component destruction system. For example, a surge of gaseous component introduced directly into a system for destroying gaseous component can upset the operation, such as the temperature, residence time, other process conditions and the like, of such a destruction system, which can result in reduced destruction system effectiveness and efficiency, and ultimately in increased atmospheric pollution.
It would be advantageous to provide for damping the effect of such gaseous component surges on systems for destroying such gaseous component.